EuroBasket Notebook: Moving into the QuarterfinalsSeptember 13, 2007One of the few bright spots was the play of Angelo Gigli, who seems to be coming along nicely and impressed a few NBA scouts we spoke with. His body is slowly filling out and heís still the same smart and fairly athletic 7-footer with a nice basketball IQ and intriguing sparks of potential facing the basket. He did a good job knocking down mid-range jumpers and finding Bargnani in the post with smart passes throughout the tournament, and did a very good job defending Dirk Nowitzki in his teamís last game. If he can follow up this tournament with a big year in the Italian league with Benetton Treviso, look for him to get some looks from NBA teams next summer. [Read Full Article]Angelo Gigli NBA Draft Scouting ReportApril 18, 2005Strengths
While a fan will first look at his athleticism and ability to run the floor as an unusual thing for a big man, the first thing a scout will notice when watching Gigli play is his maturity and high basketball IQ. He never forces anything, and knows his role on the team.

On offense Gigli scores most of his points off of cuts to the basket, where he often finishes with a dunk, or by freeing himself out of the paint for a solid set shot. When he gets the ball in the low post he uses his quickness to separate himself from the defender and hit a turnaround shot, or to find a way to the basket for a lay-up, but more often tries to set up his teammates thanks to his special passing abilities. He never looks for the unnecessary spectacular play, while he can find both the cutter or the free man on the perimeter.

He can finish pretty well near the rim with both hands, while his range can go as far as the European 3pt line, and there's no reason to think that it can't go further.

His ball-handling is good for a big man, but not at same level of other European big men entering the draft. He can put the ball on the floor in the open court, but he'll have a hard time protecting it if pressed by smaller players.

He has a remarkable nose for the offensive rebound, thanks to his reactivity he collects tons of them, and scores several points off them each game.

On defense the most interesting part is the way he helps his teammates, using his quick feet to contest every shot in the paint. This makes him the Italian league leader in blocked shots at the moment. His feet also make him a great defender in pick and roll situations, where he's able to both help on the dribbler and then contain him for a few seconds on the switch.

A difference between him and other European prospects is that Angelo is actually playing starting minutes and contributing on an overachieving team (Reggio Emilia went to the finals of the Italian Cup, after being expected to be in the bottom part of the standings) in one of the best leagues in Europe.

Considering the recent struggles of completely unproven teenagers from Europe, his experience will be surely appreciated, because this experience won't come at the expense of his potential. This is a guy who has dramatically improved since last year and showed a constant progression even during the current season.

Weaknesses
Angelo's biggest problem is his weak body. It's too weak to play inside at the NBA level. While not less bulked up than most of the other European big men in the draft, Angelo doesn't possess the same youth or guard skills others have so he needs more pounds quick to be effective at the NBA level.

He's going to hit the weight room in the near future and it will help him a lot to play inside in the NBA, but at this point he can't hold the position against any NBA post player, considering how he sometimes suffers even against the European ones.

On offense, as already stated, he can use his quickness near the basket, but he struggles if matched up against a very physical player. Considering the differences in the way the game is officiated in the NBA compared to Europe he'll have a hard time adapting to all the bumping he'll face in the NBA paint area. And this transition will be tougher when you consider how he has no go-to move at this point, even if he has all the tools to develop one.

He's not skilled enough, though, to consistently play outside. His handles are good but he's not a big threat to beat you off the dribble, and while his shot is accurate enough, it has a very low release and he can't take it while moving yet.
Gigli has to try to become a player that's able to play both inside and outside, because he's in the dangerous situation of not being great in any position right now.

Finally, we've already mentioned how he's having an important role on a good team in one of the best European leagues. But it's still a small team, with no great ambitions and no real pressure, while not playing in any international competitions like the Euroleague or ULEB Cup. This means he plays just one game a week, so will he be able to handle the NBA schedule?

Competition
Angelo is the starting PF/C of Bepop Reggio Emilia, in a very tough and competitive league that sent multiple teams to the Euroleague Final Fours the last few seasons. He averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds on 64.4% shooting from the field and 35% from outside in 27 minutes per game. He also blocks 2.5 shots per game.

Outlook
A player probably 10-15 pounds of muscles shy from being a lottery pick, but still with enough potential to fall somewhere in the twenties. Scouts always appreciate smart and coachable guys, because they're the ones the will more easily fulfill their potential, and Angelo always shows a clever mind on the court and in the interviews he's had so far.

Being close to 7 feet tall, but without the necessary bulk or inside skills to play Center, his position in the NBA will clearly be the power forward spot, and he's best suited to play for a team that runs a motion offence to use his vision and fundamentals.

On defense he's going to suffer trying to contain his man in the short term, but he'll probably quickly adapt to the NBA speed to properly execute the team's game plan.

Comments
A perfect guy to draft and keep in Europe for a few years, and then get back a more polished, experienced and NBA ready player. Angelo himself stated multiple times that he wants first to play in the Euroleague before joining the NBA, and there have been rumors about him playing for Fortitudo (Climamio) Bologna next year.

Facts
MVP of the latest Italian League all-star game.

He's a late bloomer, who played his first game in the Italian first division just this year.